Cushion for wings of bomb-lances



N. SCHOLFIELD.

Bomb Lance.

Patented Dec. 8, 1857.

N PETERS, PHOTViIYNQGRAPNER. WASHINGTON. D 2v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NATHAX SCllOld IlGLl), ()F NOIUVICH, CONNECTICUT.

CUSHION FOR WINGS OF BOMB-LANCES.

Specification t'oiming part of lit-tiers latent No. IQ.24. dated lFeeeinlw-r S, 1537.

To all Hf/IIH! i/ may (t llltitl lie it known that l, NA'rnAN SoiIoLEtELn,

of Norwich, New London county, and Stateot' Connecticut, have invented a new and useful improvement in Projectiles; aml i do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part. of this specification.

Myimprovementconsistsina tplyingsprings, cushions, or clasps, to neutralize the shock produced by a projectile on taking a case of guiding-wings from the muzzle ofa, gun in its discharge.

A A, lfigure l, is a sectional exhibit of a portion of the gun at the muzzle.

l is a. surface view ofa cylindric projectile just in the act of leaving the gun. The body of the projectile is turned a littlesmallerthan the bore of the gun from which it is to be discharged, so as to allow a thin metallic case to intervene: but three ribs, (I, extend longitudi' nally on the surface aml at equal distances from each other, and of a thickness to acctr rately tit the bore. At the rear end is a collar, C, of a size to till the bore, forward of which is a recess sut'ticient to allow of a spiral spring, S, or a ring or cushion of india-rubber or some compressible and elastic substance. A sliding collar, (l, is also titted loosely on this recess forward of the spring, and of a size to pass loosely into the gun.

cfy is a case made of three strips of thin metal in form of cylindric segments, soldered within the ring f. This is shown more perfectly and in perspective at Fig. 2. The out side of this case and the interior of the ringf should correspond in size with the greatest measure of the projectile, including the ribs, or with the bore of the gun, while the inner measure of the case should eta-respond with the diameter of the reduced part of the projectile, so that the case may be drawn on over theforward partby passing the strips of which it is formed between the ribs 11 until they come in contact with the sliding collar G; and the end of the case should be of a size to enter the muzzleot the gun, and should be placed therein, when used, so that the projectile may enter it accurately when discharged. Around thiscase is titted loosely another cylindric case, 7. I m,

to which three guiding-wings, \V,are attached. This latter case consists of a tube, is m, of a size sutiicient to pass on over the former, having an enlargement or collar, It, at its rear end, or where it. comes in contact with the collar fof the inner case. A ring or cushion, i, of some compressible and elastic substance, is placed between the collars.

The action of this projectile is as follows, \iz: The body of the projectile, divested of the cases, which are both kept together as one, is inserted in the gun, observing carefully the positions of the ribs (1 as it: enters. The case is then placed on over the muzzle of the gun, allowing the end of the interior case to enter the bore, and ill such positions in its eircunr t'erenee that the segments thereof shall come between the ribs d of the projectile as it passes out: aml when discharged, and the collar (l comes in contact with the end of the internal case, this is carried forward therewith, carrying with it also the outer case with the wings, the concussion thereon being modified through the intervention of the spring S between the two collars C and G, and of the elastic cushion t and the whole passes oil' with the projectile.

Instead of a duplex case, these two cases may be connected together. The three segments of the inner case may be soldered or otherwise connected rigidly within the outer, or they may be connected thereto tirmly only in the middle, allowing the ends 0 and 1 to spring inwardly, so as to clasp the projectile with some three as it passes in and through the case, by which means incipient motion is imparted to the case and wings before reaching the contact of the collar C.

It the projectile is of nearly the length of the gun the ribs 1?, as represented, may be dispensed with, and a single cylindric ease carrying the wings will suflice; but in such case the tube must enter the bore of the gun sufficient to cover and sustain the anterior portion of the projectile to hold it steadily therein, and it the duplex case is used, the interior case at 9 must be produced downward sutiiciently for that purpose; orif a single case with spring-clasps e g is used in the same connection, the end 9 of these elasps may be extended so as to reach into the gun sufliciently to clasp the anterior part of the projectile;

but in such case the rear end ot' the wings should extend downward without the gun as t'a as the eml ot' the clasp within.

Instead of the cushion or collar iol' indiaruhhcr, a spiral or other spring may he used, and for this purpose the distance between the collars/and It may he increased, it necessary, and either one or the othei ot' the springs S or inlay he dispensed with, and it the spring h on the rear end ot the projectile is omitted the collar (l is also omitted, and the rear tlangc or collar. holds the ease c f in place; hut it' neither the spring h or i is used the case carrying the wings may he, a single one, and may adjust itsell' in contact with the rear collar. (I: and it' the segments cg within the case are elastic and curved inward, so as to clasp the projectile with three, incipient motion may be communicated thereby to the case, so that it would sustain the shock of striking the collar (l: hut without this clasp the concussion would he so violent as to destroy the case \Vhen these wings are titted to a; shell the rear recess, on wlnch the spring S and sliding collarti is titted, may consist of the t'ust's-chamher, which, for that purpose, is attached to the rear end of the hody ot' the shell.

The ribs (1 on the body ot' the projectile amt the segments (1 1] of the inner case should he so narrow as not to occupy the whole circumt'erence thereot', in order to allow some varia tion in the angular position ot' the proicetile compared with the case, and not hring the segments andrihs in contact when discharged.

It is Found to he impracti ahle tor a pie iectile. to take the case ot' guiding-wings as it passes out of the gun without destroying or rendering them totally untit, for guiding it without the useot' springs, to prevent or modit'y the violent shock consequent on striking them instautaneously, for at the moment of leaving the gun the. velocity is as great or greater than at any time afterward; and it will he readily acknowledged that it' the ease containing the wings should he placed at a distance therel'rom and the projectile tired into it the shock would totally destroy it or render it untit For use. This shock would he as great or greater at the muzzle ot' the gun; and to prerent this shock, resulting from putting the case in motion with the velocity ot the projectile trom a state of rest instantaneously, (as it must necessarily he it' the case could thus acquire motion and remain unhroken,)l apply springs S, cushions 1', and clasps c 1 and hy their use (the three comhined are best) the result is attained, and I am enahled therehy to so connect guiding wings to a proiectile as to serve a practical purpose. 'lheret'ore I do not claim the act of connecting guiding-wings or other apparatus to a proicetile in its discharge.

\Yhat 1 claim as my invention, and t'or which I solicit Letters Patent, is-

The application of one or more springs, t or i. as a medium for moditying the effects ot' percussion ot' a projectile when entering a case otguiding-wings placed at the muzzle ot' a gun, to prevent the violent dynamical etl'cct ot' a rigid and instantatieousconeussion thereon hy the proieetile in its discharge.

NATHAN SUlltllihl l 1l,lr. 

